[Determination of fluoride in toothpastes marketed in Morocco using a fluoride-selective electrode]. / Détermination des teneurs en fluor dans les pâtes dentifrices commercialisées au Maroc par électrode sélective au fluor.

INTRODUCTION: Dental caries represents a problem of public health in Morocco and the reduction of this pathology is a priority of the Ministry of Health. The use of fluoride toothpastes is, at present, recognized as being an effective means for the prevention of dental caries. MATERIAL AND METHODS: [corrected] The aim of our study was to verify the correspondence of the information marked on packagings with the international standards, but also to determine using potentiometry the quantity of fluorine presents in toothpastes marketed in Morocco from three origins: pharmacies, hypermarkets and ambulant sellers. RESULTS: The study concerned 56 toothpastes, 73.2% of toothpastes respect the standards of the concerning WHO dates of manufacturing and lapsing. The type of fluoride was specified only on 67.8% of packagings and the used concentration of fluoride was indicated only in 62.5% of the tested samples. For 56 studied toothpastes, the results revealed that if we take into account standards recommended by the WHO and the European Union, only 57.1% of toothpastes could have an effect dental caries. CONCLUSION: The results of this study show that there is a real need of quality control of fluoride toothpastes sold in Morocco especially those of the itinerant market.

[Anti-inflammatory activity of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Zygophyllum gaetulum]. / Activité anti-inflammatoire des extraits aqueux et éthanolique de Zygophyllum gaetulum.

Zygophylle or Zygophyllum gaetulum Emberger and. Maire is a Moroccan medicinal plant which has been used as an anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antispasmodic and antidiarrheic. The present study was carried out to study and compare the anti-inflammatory effect of ethanolic extract with aqueous extract of Z. gaetulum. Organic extract of Z. gaetulum was obtained in soxhlet apparatus. Aqueous extract was obtained by infusion. The Wistar albinos rats of either sex weighing 200-300 g aged 2-3 months were used for this experiment. The rats were housed under standard environmental conditions. The anti-inflammatory activity was estimated by measuring the oedema induced by carragenin according to the method of Winter and al. Ethanolic extract of Z. gaetulum reduced the increase of the paw volume with a percentage of inhibition of 46% (p<0.01), this percentage was 47.48% (p<0.01) with aqueous extract. The inhibition decrease in time, it arrived to 39% (p<0.01) at the sixth hour while the activity of aqueous extract decrease a lot. In conclusion, Z. gaetulum is an interesting plant which the aqueous and éthanolic extracts could be used scientifically in the treatment of inflammation.

Carbon monoxide poisoning in Morocco during 1999-2007.

INTRODUCTION: Carbon monoxide (CO) intoxication is one of the most common types of poisoning in the modern world. The aim of the present study is to describe the evolution of CO poisoning during a period between January 1999 and December 2007 based on data collected from result of toxicological analysis in the laboratory of toxicology in the National Institute of Health in Morocco. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was based on autopsies samples sent to the laboratory of forensic toxicology covering the time period January 1999 to December 2007. Cases were analyzed according to the following criteria: age, region, month, gender, presence or not of autopsy report and post mortem blood carbon monoxide determination. RESULT: From January 1999 to December 2007, 139 out of the 4402 analysis performed were recorded as acute CO intoxications. Cases (93.5%) were classified as accident (E859). Hundred percentage of our cases were exclusively due to gaze inhalation. Circumstances of intoxications were described in autopsy report which is found in 41% (57 cases). Males predominated in accidental poisoning with 77 cases (55%) while females represented 62 cases (44%). the most represented city was Rabat with 48 cases (34%), followed by Casablanca with 20 cases (14.4%). the highest frequency of CO deaths was found in February and March with 29 cases (20.9%) and 28 cases (20.1%), respectively. The highest poisoning frequency was recorded for the age mean 34+/- years old. The average of carbon monoxide concentration was 5.76+/-4.3 ml/100ml of blood. Males predominated in accidental poisoning with 77 cases (55%) while females represented 62 cases (44%). CONCLUSION: Acute carbon monoxide intoxication is too dangerous because of its speed in addition to the particularities of carbon monoxide which is one of many ubiquitous contaminants of our environment that requires prevention and control measures inside and outside to insure adequate protection of public health.